The Well
by KawaiiChica
Summary: If we were freaked out by the movie 'The Ring' - Imagine poor Kagome trying to go back to the Feudal Era through the well!
1. A trip through the well

Disclaimer: I don't own any of them, I'm just borrowing them for the fic.  
  
Author's note: After watching 'The Ring' and freaking out every time I walked by a tv for a week, I suddenly wondered - If that movie could scare me so badly - Imagine what it could do to poor Kagome!   
  
(After all, she does travel through a well all the time)  
  
" ____ " Speaking  
  
[ ____ ] Thoughts  
  
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"What are you doing you baka?!"   
  
Curling up tighter on the sofa, Kagome pulled the covers closer to her chest as she watched the woman lift Sadako's corpse to her breast. As the little girl's deteriorated body floated in her arms, Kagome covered her eyes and bit back another scream. [This movie's SO FREAKY!]   
  
Looking around her darkened home, she gulped and wished for the ump-teenth time that she weren't alone. [Souta just HAD to leave me this scary movie that everyone's talking about on a weekend when NO ONE is home!] He did, and she knew he'd done it on purpose. Their mother had heard of the film and had decided since her daughter dealt with supernatural beings all the time, SHE should judge wether or not Souta could watch the film.  
  
So here she was, alone, terrified, and completely hooked to the scariest movie of her time. Huddling in the corner of her sofa, she clutched the blankets close and struggled to keep her eyes open. A relieved sigh went through her when the story seemed to be solved.  
  
To her chagrin, the next 10 minutes turn out to be the most horrific part of the movie. After watching the little girl climb out of the t.v. and crawl toward Ryuji. With her heart in her throat, a terrified scream finally tore through the house as Sadako's glaring eye was shown.   
  
[Kami-sama... oh kami...]   
  
Kagome lay trembling on the couch, the television set to cartoons to hopefully blur out the horrific story. Just as she settled down to relax, the ringing of her phone next to her scared her witless again.  
  
"AAAGGGHHH!"   
  
Kagome jumped away, throwing the control over her shoulder as she landed on the floor in front of the tv. When the channel suddenly changed to a scratchy gray screen, screeching beside her, the phone still ringing by the sofa, her fear overwhelmed her and her vision darkened until she heard no more.   
  
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"Hello? Where the heck is everyone?"   
  
Inuyasha stepped into Kagome's room and smiled as the familiar scent of the girl surrounded him. Shivering in his wet clothes, he was relieved to see it was not raining on this side of the well. Following her scent downstairs to where he could hear noise, he kicked at the cat 'Buyo' and shooed him out of his way, stopping at the door of the living room. [What the...?]   
  
The 'television' thingy was on and making horrible screeching noises, the 'phone' contraption kept beeping, and most frightening, Kagome lay sprawled on the floor unconscious. "What the...?"   
  
Kneeling beside her, Inuyasha shook her shoulder roughly to waken her. "Wake up Kagome!"  
  
Feeling clammy, cold, wet hands shaking her roughly, Kagome clenched her eyes closed, screamed and rolled onto her side, curling up in protection as she begged. "PLEASE DON'T KILL ME YET! I'M SUPPOSED TO GET SEVEN DAYS! PLEASE!"  
  
[What the fuck?] Inuyasha stared wide-eyed at the frightened girl begging for her life. [What's wrong with her?] Her body trembled violently, utter horror emanated from her, far worse than just a little fear - Kagome was TERRIFIED!   
  
"Hey," his voice was barely above a whisper, and obviously not getting to the girl screaming to get away from him. "Kagome stop... Kagome... KAGOME!"   
  
Kagome froze, the familiar voice ringing through her head. Despite the phone's beeping and the tv's screeching, she gathered up enough courage to stop screaming and listen. "Kagome its ok... whatever it is that scared you is gone..."   
  
"In-Inuyasha?" Kagome's body still trembled in fear, her voice small and scared.   
  
"Hai Kagome, what's scared you? What's the matter?" Inuyasha was beginning to lose his temper, sensing nothing dangerous to frighten her so badly.  
  
"Turn it off!" Kagome turned away from the tv, pointing at it with one hand. "Make the noise stop!"  
  
"Ok," Inuyasha pushed the button Souta had taught him to use to turn it off and was relieved when her trembling calmed a bit. She was taking heavy gulps of air and struggling to sit up when the phone rang, causing her to jump with a slight scream.   
  
"What the hell's the matter with you?" Inuyasha watched her shakily crawl onto the sofa and kneel beside the phone.   
  
She turned wide, frightened eyes toward him and whispered, "What if it's her?"  
  
*RIIING*  
  
Kagome winced, trembling again and looking back to the phone. Hesitating long enough for it to ring one more time, she picked up the receiver and brought it slowly up to her ear, missing the young woman on the other end say "Miss Higurashi? I'm calling from..."   
  
When the phone reached her ear, the only thing she heard was, "Seven da..." before screaming and slamming it down on the base.   
  
"Damnit what the hell's wrong with you?" Inuyasha jumped over to her side with a glare. "What the fuck has you so scared?"   
  
"Gomen nasai," Kagome had jumped back and was curled up on the opposite end of the sofa and trying to get herself to calm down. [Its just a movie Kagome, its not real, I'm sure that phone call was just a prank or something. Yeah, that's it, they were just playing a crank call or maybe I heard wrong.]   
  
"Are you ok?" Inuyasha set a hand on her shoulder slowly, relieved when she took a deep breath and seemed to pull herself together.   
  
"Yeah, I'll be ok," Kagome stood and grabbed the blanket jumping over the sofa to see the remote lying on the ground with a couple of cat hairs around it. [Buyo must have stepped on it and changed the channel]   
  
"I'm glad you came actually, I don't think I could have stayed home alone tonight," hurrying upstairs, she left on her comfortable sweats, grabbed her bag, threw it together and hurried back downstairs to the kitchen. After grabbing enough ramen to last at least a week, water and other supplies, she was relieved when Inuyasha grabbed the heavy bag and carried it for her.   
  
Grumbling on the way out, Inuyasha shook his head at the crazy girl behind him, sure he would never understand her and the society she came from. For her part Kagmoe was busy throwing on her sweatshirt as they walked out to the well house, but instantly froze once they stepped inside.   
  
"Shit"  
  
Inuyasha growled as he smelled her fear rising again and turned with a glare, it faded quickly enough at the look on her face. Kagome stood staring wide-eyed and terrified once again at the well, her body was taught like a bowstring. In her mind's eye, Kagome was standing in a forest clearing with an old, round, slightly cracked well in front of her. [This isn't possible... this can't be...]   
  
A flash of something silverish-white moving from the well toward her made her blink and see a pair of glowing eyes standing before her. "IIE!"   
  
Turning and making a break for the door, Kagome screamed again when her waist was grabbed from behind and she was turned back towards the well, colliding with a warm, red, growling wall. "Calm down wench, at least breathe."  
  
"I can't do it Inuyasha," Kagome clutched his haori and buried her face into his chest, slowly trying to pull him out of the well house. "I need to get away from the well, I can't go into it."   
  
"How are we supposed to go with the others if you don't?" Inuyasha hesitantly lifted his arms around her shoulders to steady her trembling form.   
  
"I don't know but I can't jump in there any time soon," Kagome's high-pitched, frightened voice making his anger melt and frustration took its place.  
  
With a sigh and a glance back at the well behind him, he stopped following her and frowned, seeing the same old square, wooden well. "You've never had any problems before Kagome."   
  
"I know but I can't do it Inuyasha, not after that movie I just saw, I can't!" Kagome shuddered and pressed closer to him.  
  
Thinking over his options, Inuyasha surprised her by suddenly lifting her into his arms bridal style and turning to grab her bag too. "Keep your eyes closed and trust me ok? Just don't look away from me."   
  
"Ok," Kagome's voice was a small squeak. She could hear each step he took in the silence of the room, each growing louder as they approached the well and she knew he could probably feel the erratic beats of her heart as they grew louder in her own ears also. Her hands had moved up to circle his neck when he lifted her and she tightened them the further they got into the room, a small cry escaping her when she felt him lift one leg onto the edge of the well.   
  
"Shh... its ok Kagome... shh..." Inuyasha had tightened his hold on her as she tensed more and more during the short trip. Her slight trembling had gradually increased despite how close he was holding her and her whimper seemed to make the quickened beating of her heart louder in his already sensitive ears. He'd been trying to soothe her as they reached the well, but when he was about to jump, Kagome's fear overwhelmed her and she let out a scream as she felt him jump in.  
  
Luckily for Inuyasha's ears that scream was stifled by his chest, but in mere seconds his luck would change as they re-surfaced on the other side of the well and let go of each other to push up towards the top of the water surrounding them.   
  
Gasping for air, Kagome blinked her eyes, struggling to adjust them to the darkness around her, eyes widening in terror again at the sight of stone walls surrounding her. When Inuyasha's head came out of the water behind her he was rewarded with another, louder scream bouncing off the walls nearly deafening the poor hanyou.  
  
Ducking under water to avoid the shrillness in her voice, he realized she'd probably scream again if he went up and quickly found a solution. Grabbing her legs, he dragged her down, reaching up to cover her mouth before pulling her back up with his arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her body back against his.   
  
"It's just me Kagome! Inuyasha! Calm down and we'll get out of here, I forgot its been raining on this side for the past few days."   
  
Turning in his arms, Kagome clung to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, eyes closed as she felt him climbing out of the well, his claws making awful scratching noises as he went up the wall.   
  
Once they'd reached the top, Inuyasha jumped over and ran as fast as he could to Kaede's house. His arms holding Kagome tightly around her back and waist, using his haori as a barrier to keep the cold air from her already shivering body.  
  
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Sango and Miroku rolled their eyes as they heard Shippo sigh and roll over again onto his back and knew he was about to whine again.  
  
"I'm tired of the rain! When's Inuyasha coming with Kagome?"   
  
As if on cue, the door was thrown open and in stomped a drenched hanyou, who quickly slammed it shut with his foot again. The sight of the dripping inu youkai didn't surprise them so much as the sight of the dripping youkai with an equally soaked girl clinging to him for dear life, her arms and legs wrapped around him tightly.   
  
"Kagome!" Sango and Shippo stood and came over to the couple by the doorway, surprised when Inuyasha shook his head at them and moved over to a corner of the room, speaking softly to the trembling girl in his arms.   
  
"Mm-hmm... thank you," Kagome suddenly realized their position and slid her legs down to the ground with a blush, shivering as her soaked state seemed to click in her mind as well.   
  
Turning to the others she smiled sheepishly and pushed a mass of hair behind her ear self-consciously. "Hey guys, how's everything been?"   
  
"Raining," Shippo pouted, frowning slightly as he saw the slight shaking of her shoulders.  
  
"Kagome-sama you're absolutely soaked through and your trembling is quite disturbing," Miroku pulled his outer robe off and politely offered it to her, making sure to keep his hands in plain view of everyone. "May I offer this robe for you to wear instead of that outfit? Of course Inuyasha, Shippo and I will all turn away to conserve your modesty while you change."  
  
Inuyasha gave a small growl, Sango gave him a dirty look and Shippo glared. To everyone's surprise, Kagome thanked him for the offer and took the robe. "You won't need it wench, you can wear my haori."   
  
Inuyasha slipped the cloak off and handed it over, surprised when she giggled and shook her head. "I can't wear that Inuyasha, just look at how much its dripping!"   
  
"Feh, that's just the outside, the inside's still dry and warm, you won't even know it was wet if you sit by the fire for two minutes, see the water's already drying off."   
  
Looking at the top of the haori, they could all see he was right, half of the material was nearly dry. Thanking Miroku again, Kagome handed the robe back and accepted the haori, turning her back and making them turn away also as she stripped off her clothes and quickly pulled the haori on.   
  
She tied it closed with a sash Sango loaned her before allowing the guys to turn again. Once they were all seated around the fire, Shippo on Kagome's lap, Sango and Miroku across from them, and Inuyasha by the door, she told them about the three days she'd spent at home.   
  
"And that was it!" Kagome kept the part about her watching a scary movie out of her narrative to keep herself from having any nightmares. [At least there aren't any tv's here]  
  
Inuyasha grunted and gave her a cocky grin, "Is that ALL you did Kagome? Are you sure you're not missing anything?"  
  
Miroku and Sango watched Kagome frown and glare at the hanyou, "I don't think of anything else that might matter."  
  
Inuyasha nodded, "Ok then, don't tell them... its not that important, and I'm sure you'll be able to get home on your own next time, right?"   
  
Imagining the bone eater's well from this time, out there in the middle of a forest clearing and then remembering the one from the movie, Kagome gulped and visibly began to tremble again, wide eyes tearfully staring at him. "You'd make me go alone? After you made me come?"   
  
Inuyasha's smirk faded, a pang of guilt at her once again terrified look. Scooting closer, he shook his head to calm her down, lifting her hand in his to offer a bit of comfort. "I was just kidding Kagome, I'll take you back if you need me to."  
  
Nodding quickly, Kagome looked to her confused friends and hesitated about telling them about the movie. Inuyasha seemed to pick up on this and did it for her; "She watched a movie that really freaked her out before coming."   
  
"Really? What was it about?" Shippo turned in her lap to look up at her face.  
  
Kagome gulped and scooted closer to Inuyasha, "A well... a little girl who was killed in a well..."   
  
The group winced, the thought of anyone dying in such a manner making them shake their heads. Inuyasha's ears perked up as understanding came to him. "THAT's why you were so scared of the well!"   
  
Kagome nodded, "But its not just because she died in it... you'd have to see it Inuyasha... the things she does..."   
  
A shudder ran through her body and she scooted closer again.  
  
"I thought you said she died?" Sango frowned, always confused by those 'movies' Kagome told her about from time to time.  
  
"Hai, but she came back and... its just really complicated," Kagome leaned her head against Inuyasha's arm and watched Miroku yawn across from her, eliciting a round of yawns to go around the room.   
  
Seeing how her stuff was soaked through, Sango and Miroku wondered about how to settle in for the night since Kaede had taken the extra blankets she had with her to help a widow and her sick children.   
  
"You may take my futon Kagome-sama," Miroku offered.  
  
Kagome shook her head, settling down beside the fire, "I couldn't do that, I'll be fine on the ground here."  
  
"Feh, you'll wake up sore in the morning," Inuyasha grumbled, lifting her once again into his arms bridal style and moving to the nearest wall to lean against. Settling her in his lap, he motioned for the others to settle in and closed his eyes, pretending to fall fast asleep.   
  
"Thanks Inuyasha," Kagome whispered, seeing him smile a bit in reply. Snuggling closer to him for warmth, Kagome closed her eyes and dreamed of being held safely forever, all thoughts of the movie driven away by Inuyasha's presence.  
  
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One week later, Kagome had forgotten all about the freaky movie during their shard hunt, convincing herself that the phone call had been a prank and that she wasn't going to die. The storm had taken another two days to go away and their trip took another four due to all the mud, but now they were outside Kaede's village again and happy to have another shard with them.   
  
"That youkai wasn't so bad," Shippo skipped ahead of them, "Inuyasha took him out real fast!"  
  
"Of course I did runt, what'd you expect?"   
  
Kagome walked beside Sango and smiled, knowing how much the little kitsune looked up to the gruff hanyou. Of course, the peace was not to last long after she heard his next sentence.  
  
"What'd you think? I'd panick like that weak, silly girl back there?"   
  
"What'd you just say?"  
  
Sango, Miroku, Shippo and Kirara rolled their eyes and kept walking, ignoring the arguing duo again. After reaching her limits, Kagome promptly 'sat' Inuyasha and ran ahead, screaming at him to leave her alone for the next few days because she was going home.  
  
"Feh, stupid wench is forgetting about the well," he sighed and waited for the spell to wear off, giving her time to explain to the others and get a good head start. [She'll be panicking again when I catch up to her - just wait and see.]   
  
Heading into the forest calmly, following her scent, he was expecting to find her frozen in place at the edge of the forest, perhaps huddling behind a tree, but he never expected her to scream in fright again.  
  
And she did - a scream so horrible, so frightened, so utterly PETRIFIED - it made his skin crawl and his blood run cold before he swore a foul oath and used his demon speed to reach her side, praying nothing had happened to her. He'd heard her scream a lot recently, but that had to be the worst he'd heard her.  
  
A familiar scent reached him while he ran, his heart clenching in anger and fear, a low growl escaping his lips as the person it belonged to came to mind.  
  
[Sesshomaru!]  
  
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	2. Going back home

Disclaimer in chp.1  
  
Author's Notes: Just a few since this is the closing chapter for this fic. I've included spoilers for the movie in this because many readers said they hadn't watched it and couldn't or didn't plan to, but were curious about what happened. So gomen to those who've seen the film, I was watching it as I wrote this - which made me take forever, but I think it was worth it.  
  
Thanks for reading so far, I really apreciate all the reviews I got for this story and please don't forget to let me know what you thought of this installment. Arigato gozaimasu!  
  
" ____ " Speaking  
  
[ ____ ] Thoughts  
  
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Inuyasha burst through the forest and unsheathed Tetsusaiga, growling at his brother standing beside an unconscious Kagome. A human girl kneeled beside him, leaning weakly against his legs. To his surprise, the smell of sickness was coming from her and he scrunched his nose a bit, confused by her closeness to his brother.   
  
"What'd you do to Kagome you bastard?"   
  
Sesshomaru stared at his brother coldly, "You're calling ME a bastard?"   
  
"Shut up," Inuyasha grunted.  
  
"YOU brought it up," Sesshomaru reminded him before changing the subject, "Your wench isn't hurt, she came into the clearing, gave that terrified screech and fainted dead away for no reason."  
  
"Kagome's not the type to faint without a reason," Inuyasha sheathed his sword, freeing his hands to hold her, shaking her shoulders gently trying to wake her. "Kagome..."  
  
"Hmm?" The girl moaned a little bit at a pain in her back and wondered why she was lying down. [Wasn't I running to the well?... oh my god... the well!]  
  
With a gasp, she sat up and turned to see the well, another scream escaping her at the sight beside her. "NOOO!"   
  
"KAGOME!"   
  
Inuyasha turned her away and crushed her to him, glaring at his equally annoyed brother who was lifting the sick child into his arms, his hands rubbing Kagome's back soothingly, hoping to stop her body's shaking. "Kagome its ok, I've got you."  
  
"I thought she wasn't real, Sadako was just part of the movie," Kagome whispered, clinging to him tightly.  
  
"Who is this Sadako?" Sesshomaru asked, "And why do you say she is here? The only ones here are you, the baka, Rin and myself wench."  
  
Inuyasha growled at his brother but continued holding Kagome, both listening as Sesshomaru continued. "We came because Rin is sick, I left her here to rest and was going to bring you to help her when you screamed and I came back to find you unconscious and Rin wobbling over to your side."  
  
"Rin?" Kagome whispered, taking a deep breath and turning to see him holding the little girl she'd met before. Unlike previously though, today she wore a white robe and had her long hair hung loose and dirty, her skin extremely pale due to her illness.   
  
"What's the matter with her?" she stood and touched the girl's forehead, "She's got a slight fever and her breathing is raspy..."   
  
Frowning for a moment, Kagome turned to her backpack and pulled out some antibiotics. "Give her half of one of these pills every six hours for the next four days, it looks like she caught some type of bug and this should do away with it."   
  
Sesshomaru said nothing, merely took the bottle in his fake hand and nodded his thanks before flying away with the girl. Once he'd gone, Kagome turned to smile at Inuyasha and received a glare. "What'd I do?"   
  
"Forget it," Inuyasha bit his tongue to keep from yelling at her.  
  
"Wait! Where are you going?" Kagome left her bag and ran after him as he walked back into the forest. "Inuyasha you said you'd take me home remember?"   
  
"Feh, go home by yourself woman!"   
  
"What?!" Kagome stared at him disbelievingly, "You agreed to take me home!"   
  
He shrugged and continued walking, angry that she'd scared him so bad over something as trivial as a little girl by the well. [I don't care if she is scared! That little girl died IN the well, not outside of it and she shouldn't have freaked out like that!]   
  
"But you promised," Kagome's disappointment ringing clearly in her voice. A pang of despair was etched into it as he continued walking away, "Inuyasha!"   
  
Ignoring her, he was set on making her go home alone until a familiar sound reached his ears. Turning, he was surprised to see Kagome had gone back towards the well. He found her sitting against a tree, arms hugging her legs tightly to her chest with her head resting between them. She gave another sniffle and lifted her head, wiping her eyes with a pout as she glared at him.   
  
"You were just scaring me weren't you?"   
  
He shook his head, "No."   
  
"Inuyasha," Kagome looked away from him and curled up tighter into herself, "I guess I'm never getting home?"  
  
Inuyasha gave an annoyed sigh, "What made you freak out so badly?"  
  
"Rin, she looked just like Sadako, with her hair hanging in her face, her shaky body moving towards me from the well." A shudder ran through Kagome's body at the image in her mind.   
  
"Who's this Sadako?"   
  
"The girl in the movie I told you about," Kagome sighed and frowned at the well, once again seeing it old and round, made of stone. "I need to go home, I need to get more supplies, we're almost out of ramen."  
  
"Why didn't you tell me before?" Inuyasha jumped up at that information. "Come on wench, we haven't got all day."  
  
"I'm not going in that Inuyasha," Kagome's lip trembled, "I'm scared."  
  
To her surprise, instead of giving his usual 'Feh' or some rude answer, Inuyasha hunched down before her and held her hands in his. "Kagome, I'll be right here with you, you know I'd never let anything hurt you. I'll help you walk over to the well and jump inside, but you've got to do it yourself. I'm not carrying you this time."  
  
Pulling her up to her feet, Inuyasha took her bag from her and settled it over his shoulder, giving her some time to collect her thoughts. "Ready?"   
  
"No," Kagome looked past him at the well and shook her head.   
  
"Too bad," Inuyasha carefully pulled her forward a bit to stand beside him facing the well. Settling his hand on her lower back, he gently nudged her forward, keeping close while she took her first baby step. "Its ok Kagome. There's nothing there to be afraid of."  
  
"I guess," Kagome stepped closer little by little, still imagining herself walking towards the round, stone well.   
  
The closer they got, the closer Kagome moved to Inuyasha, scooting over little by little until she found herself standing at the side of the well with his arm completely around her waist. Feeling him give her side a slight squeeze, she took a deep breath and lifted one leg onto the edge, followed by the other. Knowing they both couldn't stand there, she closed her eyes and pulled him with her as she jumped.   
  
They passed through quickly enough and soon were standing at the bottom of the other side, facing up at the well house ceiling. A face suddenly appeared at the top, facing down towards them, causing Kagome to scream and turn to hide in Inuyasha's arms.   
  
[Damnit and you were doing so well!] Inuyasha held her tight and yelled up at the laughing boy above them. "That's not funny Souta! You scared the shit out of your sister!"  
  
"So I guess you watched the movie? How was it? Was it really THAT scary?" The excited little boy smiled at the hanyou as he jumped up out and stood beside him. "Huh? How was it?"  
  
"Too scary for you kid," Inuyasha hurried outside and over to the bench by the God tree. "Hey, we made it Kagome! You're home!"   
  
"Stupid Souta!" Kagome glared at her little brother and shook her finger at him. "Don't think you won't pay for scaring me like that! I'm gonna tell mom to let you see the movie, see how high YOU jump when you walk by the t.v!"   
  
"Aw, it can't be THAT bad! You're just a wuss!" The kid paled at the angry look given to him by the hanyou holding his sister and took a cautious step back. "Heh, well, I have some chores to finish so if you'll excuse me..."  
  
"Hurry inside!" Inuyasha smirked, imagining the poor little boy hiding under his covers. Looking down at the girl in his lap, he suddenly realized their position and sheepishly slid her over onto the seat. [We've been really close lately, and she hasn't seemed to mind.]   
  
Wondering what that could mean, he was brought out of his reverie by a hand waving in front of his face. "Coming Inuyasha?"  
  
"Mm? Oh, hai," with a blush, he lifted her bag from the ground where he'd dropped it and followed her inside, watching her curiously as she closed the doors to the living room where the tv was located. "What does a t.v. have to do with the girl who died in a well?"  
  
Kagome visibly shuddered and took a steadying breath, "You don't want to know."  
  
"Yes I do," curiosity over the movie that had frightened her so badly suddenly setting into him. "Do you still have the movie?"  
  
"Hai, I borrowed it from one of mom's friends," Souta answered for her, coming down the stairs from his room. "We could watch it now, Mom and grandpa went shopping and said they'd be home later, which leaves us with at least two hours to watch the movie."  
  
"I don't think so, you'll have major nightmares at night Souta," Kagome took her bag and set it on the kitchen table. "And I'll be worse off next time we have to go through the well."  
  
Souta pouted and slumped his shoulders, "I want to see it though!"   
  
"Me too!" Inuyasha faced her and crossed his arms stubbornly. "I'm sure it can't be that scary Kagome!"  
  
"Inuyasha! You're supposed to be on MY side!" Kagome stomped her foot and crossed her own arms. "I am NOT watching that movie again!"   
  
"Come on Kagome, watch it with us," Inuyasha turned and nodded at Souta, watching him cheer and run into the living room, setting up the mood by closing the curtains and flipping on the vcr and tv.   
  
"I don't want to Inuyasha," Kagome gulped and stood her ground while he came to her side. To her surprise, he suddenly dipped before her, grabbing her legs and tossing her over his shoulder easily. "Eeek! Put me down!" Pounding on his back, she felt a rush of blood to her head and stopped, opting instead to clutch the back of his haori and fight down the nausea that overwhelmed her.   
  
When Inuyasha dropped her onto the sofa, she sat in a daze for a moment, catching her breath while he took a seat next to her. "Go ahead kid."  
  
Giving one final glare, Kagome crossed her arms and settled in, grateful that she'd already seen it so she could close her eyes in the truly frightening parts. Looking up at Inuyasha beside her, she smiled as she realized he'd sat on the sofa to keep her from getting too scared. [He would have normally sat on the floor with Souta]   
  
Fidgeting with the edge of her skirt while the girls on the screen chatted away happily, Kagome involuntarily jumped along with them at the sound of the phone. After they'd gone downstairs and answered, she felt herself tense in anticipation of the television's noise as it turned on by itself. Beside her, Inuyasha cursed softly and tensed also, casting a confused look at Kagome before focusing again on the girl serving herself a drink.  
  
A soft crackling noise began and Souta turned up the volume to hear better, watching the girl Tomoko slowly look over her shoulder as the noise increased before turning and freezing with a startling gasp. Her image froze in black and white on the screen for a second before the movie moved on to the interview of a young school girl.  
  
"What the fuck?" Inuyasha felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up and wondered if maybe Kagome had been right to say it was too frightening. Without thinking of his actions, he slid his hand into hers and held it tightly to soothe her and his own nerves.   
  
As the movie progressed, they moved closer and closer, Kagome slowly sliding towards him, his hand releasing hers to wrap around her shoulder after she jumped at the sight of Tomoko's terrified body in the closet. Reaching the scene where Reiko found the movie and began to watch it, Kagome moved closer, her side pressing against Inuyasha's completely. After it was done, Reiko clicked off the television and her eyes widened for some reason. Neither Inuyasha nor Souta picked up on it and were therefore scared out of their wits as Kagome screamed.  
  
"What the hell's a matter with you?!" Inuyasha shouted, struggling to calm his heart's erratic beats.  
  
"Go back!" Kagome leaned forward to grab the control from Souta's hand and rewind the tape a bit, pausing it so they could see. "Look at that, behind her on the tv!"  
  
"Kami-sama, its the girl in the movie!" Souta jumped onto the sofa beside Kagome and curled up into her arms.   
  
Starting the film again, they gradually fitted themselves together in a way that all three of them felt comfortably safe. Sitting on Kagome's lap with his knees tucked beneath his chin and one of her arms wrapped around his stomach sat Souta, with the blanket they normally draped over the sofa covering him up to his chin. Kagome had slipped onto Inuyasha's lap, one arm holding her brother and the other holding tight to his haori. With his arms crossed and draped over her shoulders, she felt his warmth seep into her and felt his strength soothe her fear away a bit, despite the fact that he too was being scared witless.   
  
During the scene in which Shizuko's ESP presentation was explained, Kagome trembled slightly when Sadako grabbed Reiko's hand, calming moments later as she was pulled back and one of Inuyasha's hands move down to soothe her wrist as if she had been marked. The soft touch gave off a remarkably re-assuring feeling and Kagome was soon slightly more relaxed again.   
  
Later on, as Ryouji hung inside the well and saw Sadako's fingernails on the walls, Kagome turned her head towards Inuyasha, knowing the worst was soon to come. She was surprised to feel him move one hand up to stroke through her hair, his other arm tightening around her stomach a bit. After hearing Reiko and Ryouji leave Izu, Kagome shifted a bit, making Souta sit beside Inuyasha so she could pull her legs up and turn to wrap her arms around his neck, burying her face into his shoulder.  
  
"Feh, its over woman," Inuyasha's and Souta's eyes met for a moment, believing her behavior rather foolish now that Sadako had been saved from the well. Rolling his eyes, Inuyasha rested his hands awkwardly around her waist, since he was now not as focused on the movie and finally noticing the intimate hold he'd had on her over the past hour and a half.   
  
A familiar metallic sound brought their focus back on the screen, watching Ryouji turn from his notes to where his tv had turned on by itself. Over the course of the next two and a half minutes, both Souta and Inuyasha got the scare of their lives, barely managing to remain focused on the rest of the movie as the image of the little girl crawling on the ground repeated in their minds.   
  
Kagome, being unable to just sit without watching, had eventually turned to see the shocking scene also and lay trembling in Inuyasha's arms. Turning off the tv, the trio stared in shock at the sight of a white-clad figure on the black screen standing behind them in the doorway. The phone's sudden ringing bringing a chorus of screams from them, making them jump and fall in a heap on the ground.   
  
"HEY!"   
  
The familiar voice brought them out of their terror and calmed them even as she scolded. "What has gotten into all of you? Didn't you hear grandpa and I enter?" Mrs. Higurashi shook her head and frowned at them while lifting the receiver, shushing their pleas to not answer and smiling at the voice at the other end of the line.  
  
"Mayumi! I'm so glad you called! I meant to call you yesterday!" Walking away from the strange group in her living room, she took the cordless up to her room in hopes of getting some peace.  
  
"Kami-sama," Souta shuddered and jumped back up. "I'm never going near a tv again!"  
  
"Me either," Inuyasha agreed, leaning his back against the sofa and allowing Kagome to crawl over and wrap her arms around his waist for both her peace of mind and his. "I KNEW those things were evil! I just knew it!"  
  
Kagome couldn't help the giggle that escaped her lips at the conviction in his voice. "What's so funny, wench?"   
  
"Nothing," she sobered quickly enough, resting her cheek against his chest. He held her loosely for a moment, wondering what to do next when Kagome's grandpa appeared in the doorway. "Hello Kagome, Souta, how was your day?"  
  
They answered at the same time, "Fine."   
  
"Good, good," he nodded and frowned at the half-demon holding his granddaughter so comfortably, clearing his throat pointedly. "Its getting late Inuyasha, I'm sure you've noticed the sun is setting?"  
  
"Hai," the hanyou gave a curt nod and watched the old man walk away on the reflection of the tv screen.  
  
Glaring at his sister for being right about the movie, Souta quickly followed his grandpa, suddenly very interested in learning about magic and spells, and most importantly, protection wards.   
  
Chuckling softly at the boy interrogating his grandfather, Inuyasha sighed and was about to lift Kagome from his chest where she lay slightly dozing when a thought struck him. [Its late, getting dark, and...]  
  
"Kagome?"   
  
"Hmm?" Her sleepy eyes blinked up at him, frowning slightly as they met his golden orbs. "What is it Inuyasha?"  
  
Biting his lip and hesitating for a second, he finally had to force himself to swallow down his pride and ask the one question he'd never thought he'd ask.   
  
"Do I... umm... have to go back?"  
  
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End file.
